Saint Louis University

School of Engineering and Architecture

Department of Chemical Engineering

LABORATORY REPORT EVALUATION SHEET

Laboratory Course: ChE 424AL Schedule: 5:00-8:00 S

Experiment Number: 5
Experiment Title: Determination of the iron content of water
Group Number: 4 Date Performed: February 18, 2017
Group Members: Lungao, Louie Date Submitted: March 11, 2017
Abaggue, Trisha Mae
Badongen, Shaine
Bartolome, Glydelle
Padlan, Kimberly

CONTENTS TOTAL REMARKS SCOR

POINTS E
I. Abstract 10
II. Chapter 1: Introduction 15
III. Chapter 2: Design and
10
Methodology
IV. Chapter 3: Results and
20
Discussion
V. Chapter 4: Conclusion and
10
Recommendation
VI. References 5
VII. Appendices
a. List and Uses of
Apparatus
15
b.Definition of Terms
c. Computations
d.Problems
VIII. Table of Contents/ List of
5
Tables/ List of Figures
IX. Format and Neatness 10

TOTAL POINTS: 100 SCORE:__________

Evaluated by: Engr. Katelyn G. Gabon DATE: ___________

DETERMINATION OF THE IRON CONTENT OF WATER

An Experimental Study Presented to the

Faculty of the Department of Chemical Engineering

School of Engineering and Architecture

Saint Louis University

In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

By:

Trisha Mae Abbague

Shaine B. Badongen

Glydelle N. Bartolome

Louie K. Lungao

Kimberly U. Padlan

March 2017
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The researchers would like to thank God for the

Guidance and knowledge that led for the completion of the experiment and the report.

Also to our kind and approachable teacher, Engr. Katelyn G. Gabon

For guiding and teaching us, students, regarding the experiment.

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE 00

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 00

TABLE OF CONTENTS 00

ABSTRACT 00

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 00

Chapter 2: DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY 00

Chapter 3: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 00

Chapter 4: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 00

REFERENCES 00

APPENDICES 00

APPENDIX A List and Uses of Apparatus 00

APPENDIX B Definition of Terms 00

APPENDIX C Computations 00

APPENDIX D Documentations 00

LIST OF TABLES

Table No. 1 Amount of Iron Content Based on the Sampling Site 00

 ABSTRACT

IRON IS PRESENT IN SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS IN SOILS AND ROCKS,

PRINCIPALLY IN INSOLUBLE FORMS. HOWEVER, MANY COMPLEX
REACTIONS WHICH OCCUR NATURALLY IN GROUND FORMATIONS CAN
GIVE RISE TO MORE SOLUBLE FORMS OF IRON WHICH WILL THEREFORE
BE PRESENT IN WATER PASSING THROUGH SUCH FORMATIONS. THIS
EXPERIMENT WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE IRON CONTENT OF
THE WATER SAMPLES FROM ASIN-GALIANO RIVER THROUGH TITRATION
METHOD. THE SAMPLES WERE TITRATED WITH H2SO4 AS THE INDICATOR
AND KMNO4 AS THE TITRANT. RESULTS SHOW THAT THE IRON CONTENT
OF THE WATER SAMPLES RANGE FROM 40-400 mg/L. THIS IS
SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE RECOMMENDED LEVEL FOR
IRRIGATION AND DRINKING WATER WHICH ARE 5 mg/L AND 0.3 mg/L,
RESPECTIVELY. THIS HIGH AMOUNT OF IRON CONTENT CAUSES THE
REDDISH BROWN COLOR OF THE WATER. TASTE PROBLEMS MAY ALSO
OCCUR AND IT CAN ALSO CAUSE STAINS WHEN USED FOR LAUNDRY.

Keywords: iron, titration, color

 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

IDENTITY

Iron is a member of the first row transition series of elements, consisting of Sc, Ti,

V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn, and belongs to group 8 of the periodic table, along with Ru

and Os. The element has an atomic number of 26, an atomic mass of 55.85, two main

oxidation states (+2 and +3) and four naturally occurring isotopes ( 54Fe, 56Fe, 57Fe and 58Fe),

although 56Fe is the major isotope at 92% of the total mass. In latin word it is Ferrum, in

German Eisen, and in French Fer.

PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES

Iron is the fourth most abundant element and second most abundant metal in the

Earths crust (after aluminium) constituting 5.12% as liquid and 4.7% as solid. In the human

body it has a natural abundance of 0.01%. It has a melting point of 1528 C and boiling

point of 2730 C. It is one of the seven metals known in antiquity (along with gold, silver,

copper, mercury, tin and lead). It has both lithophile and chalcophile properties, forming

several common minerals, including pyrite FeS2, magnetite Fe3O4, haematite Fe2O3 and

siderite FeCO3. It is also present in many rock-forming minerals, including mica, garnet,

amphibole, pyroxene and olivine. Iron becomes concentrated in mid-stage fractionates during

magmatic processes and is generally enriched in mafic rocks relative to felsic, intermediate

or ultramafic types. There is a wide range of Fe concentrations within different rock

classifications depending on their mineralogical composition but, as a guide, Mielke (1979)

and Williamson (1999) report Fe values as: ultramafic 9.6%; basaltic 8.6%; granitic 2.2%

(1.4-3.0%); syenite 3.7%; and a crustal average of 7%.

ENVIRONMENTAL LEVELS: WATER

The controls on dissolved Fe concentrations in stream water are complex. Iron is

relatively immobile under most environmental conditions, mainly due to the very low

solubility of iron (III) 163 hydroxide in its various forms. Its solubility is strongly influenced

by redox conditions. The Fe2+ ion is much more soluble in strong acid or reducing conditions,

so higher concentrations are found in reducing groundwater (Hylander et al. 2000). However,

dissolved Fe is generally precipitated rapidly with increasing pH or Eh, and this is

responsible for the presence of hydrous oxide coatings, e.g., goethite, limonite and

lepidocrocite, on stream clasts in aerobic environments. Iron is also soluble in acid mine

drainage where pH levels below 2 stabilise Fe 3+ in solution (Wedepohl 1978). Significant

levels of H2S and CO2 in solution influence the pH-Eh conditions for mineral stability,

decreasing the solubility of Fe under more reducing conditions (below +200 mV) particularly

at near-neutral pH. The abundance of complexing agents in solution, notably Cl- , F- , SO 42-,

PO43- and natural organic materials, also influences the Fe content of stream water.

ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES

Iron (as Fe2+) concentrations of 40 g/litre can be detected by taste in distilled water.

In a mineralized spring water with a total dissolved solids content of 500 mg/litre, the taste

threshold value was 0.12 mg/litre. In well-water, iron concentrations below 0.3 mg/litre were

characterized as unnoticeable, whereas levels of 0.33 mg/litre were found acceptable (E.

Dahi, personal communication, 1991).

EFFECTS ON HUMANS

Iron is an essential element in human nutrition. Estimates of the minimum daily

requirement for iron depend on age, sex, physiological status, and iron bioavailability and

range from about 10 to 50 mg/day. The average lethal dose of iron is 200250 mg/kg of body

weight, but death has occurred following the ingestion of doses as low as 40 mg/kg of body

weight. Autopsies have shown haemorrhagic necrosis and sloughing of areas of mucosa in

the stomach with extension into the submucosa. Adults have often taken iron supplements for

extended periods without deleterious effects, and an intake of 0.41 mg/kg of body weight

per day is unlikely to cause adverse effects in healthy persons.

Potassium permanganate reacts with iron(II) salts according to the following

oxidation-reduction equation

5 X (Fe2+ Fe3+ + e-) oxidation

MnO4 + 8H+ + 5e- Mn2+ + 4H2O
-
reduction
___________________________________________________________________________

MnO4 + 5Fe2+ + 8H+ Mn2+ + 5Fe3+ + 4H2O

-
overall process
 CHAPTER 2

DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

This experiment determined the iron content of the water sample. Three trials were

performed and 15 ml of water sample for each trial was used for the experiment. Each 15 ml

of water sample is then poured into clean and dry three Erlenmeyer flask for titration. The

indicator, 8 mL sulfuric acid of 3 molar concentration, was added to each of the three

Erlenmeyer flask with water sample. Then, the sulfuric acid and water sample were mixed.

After mixing, it was then titrated with a 0.1 molar concentration of potassium permanganate

(KMnO4) solution. Light pink color indicates that end point was achieved. The

concentration of iron content in the water sample was computed through the recorded

potassium permanganate used.

 Chapter 3

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table No. 1 Amount of Iron Content Based on the Sampling Site

Sampling Point Trial Volume, mL mg/ L of Iron

1 Orchid's Street 1 0.025 46.54167

2 0.025 46.54167
3 0.025 46.54167
Average 46. 54167
2 Asin Bridge #2 1 0.1 186.1667
2 0.1 186.1667
3 0.1 186.1667
Average 186.1667
3 Asin Bridge #1 1 0.0385 71.67417
2 0.0385 71.67417
3 0.0385 71.67417
Average 71.67417
4 Daccag Bridge 1 0.05 93.08333
2 0.05 93.08333
Average 93.0833
5 Cheska Store 1 0.05 93.08333
2 0.05 93.08333
3 0.05 93.08333
Average 93.0833
6 Pacac Bridge 1 0.05 93.08333
2 0.05 93.08333
3 0.05 93.08333
Average 93.0833
7 Aguyad Bridge 1 0.05 93.08333
2 0.05 93.08333
3 0.05 93.08333
Average 93.0833
8 Irisan Bridge 1 0.15 279.25
2 0.15 279.25
3 0.2 372.3333
Average 310.2778
9 Lasong Bridge 1 0.04 74.46667
 2 0.04 74.46667
3 0.04 74.46667
Average 74.46667
10 Bucan Bridge 1 0.0417 77.6315
2 0.0417 77.6315
3 0.0417 77.6315
Average 77.6315
11 Palm Groove 1 0.1 186.1667
2 0.1 186.1667
3 0.05 93.08333
Average 155.1389
12 Neverland Resort 1 0.06 111.7
2 0.04 74.46667
3 0.04 74.46667
Average 86.8778
13 Riverview 1 0.0263 48.96183
2 0.0263 48.96183
3 0.0263 48.96183
Average 48.96183
14 Asin Hot Spring 1 0.0526 97.92367
2 0.0263 48.96183
3 0.0263 48.96183
Average 65.2824
15 Atad Hanging Bridge 1 0.0667 124.1732
2 0.0667 124.1732
3 0.0667 124.1732
Average 124.1732
16 Lumigneng creek 1 0.0667 124.1732
2 0.0667 124.1732
3 0.0667 124.1732
Average 124.1732
17 Coplo Bridge 1 0.0667 124.1732
2 0.0667 124.1732
3 0.0667 124.1732
Average 124.1732
18 Upstream 1 0.0333 61.9935
2 0.0333 61.9935
3 0.0333 61.9935
Average 61.9935

Iron is one of the non-toxic metals but cause color problems in water at
concentrations of 0.3 mg/L. Iron also serves as an energy source for bacteria so the resulting

slime growth produces taste and odor problems. Iron can occur in the form of minerals as

hematite, taconite and pyrite. It is widely used in steel and other alloys. The United Nations

FAO recommended level for irrigation water is 5mg/L. The US EPA secondary drinking

water standard MCL is 0.3mg/L. The BIS standard desirable limit is 0.3mg/L.

The table presents the amount of iron in mg/L with the corresponding sample points

of the Asin-Galliano River with three trials each. The Iron content of the said river is high

starting with 46.5416 mg/L from the Orchid Street to the highest amount of 310.2778 mg/L

from Irisan Bridge point. With these elevated amount of iron levels in water, this can cause

stains in plumbing, laundry and cooking utensils and can impart objectionable taste and

color.

Based on the observation during those ocular visits, it can be said that actual place

or surroundings of those having large iron content like the Irisan Bridge, Asin Bridge, Palm

Groove etc., they were actually prone to the domestic wastewaters of the people. It is more

polluted than the others.

Computing the average quantity of iron for the Asin-Galliano River, it resulted to

107.4814 milligrams per liter of sample.

 Chapter 4

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Iron is one of the contaminants that gives a significant reddish brown color to the

water sources. In this experiment, the researchers tested the iron content of their water

samples. From the data obtained, the researchers can see that the iron content of the different

water samples is ranging from 0-400 mg/L. Therefore, the researchers can conclude that

almost all of the water samples contain large content of iron. From the experiment

conducted, a little amount of the titrant used causes a change in the color of the water sample

turning it to light pink. This confirms that the water sample contain a large content of iron.

From the data obtained, the researchers can recommend that for the next

experiments, they should carefully distinguish the light pink coloration for them to have a

more accurate data. The researchers also recommend that for the next experiments, the water

samples can be freshly acquired from the sampling points for more accurate data.
References

Basle, S. Karger, Scientific Tables, Fifth Edition, P. O. Box 352, White Plains N.Y.

D. A. Skoog, D. M. West, J. F. Holler and Crouch, Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry, 9 th

edition, Mary Fincher, 2004, 20 Davis Drive Belmont, USA

Department of National Health and Welfare (Canada). Nutrition recommendations. The

report of the Scientific Review Committee. Ottawa, 1990.

International Organization for Standardization. Water qualitydetermination of iron.

Geneva, 1988 (ISO 6332:1988).

National Research Council. Iron. Baltimore, MD, University Park Press, 1979. 7. National

Food Agency of Denmark. Food monitoring in De

APPENDICES
 APPENDIX A

List and Uses of Apparatus

1. Burette a long cylindrical tube used for titration. There are two types f burette: acid and

base burette.

2. Double clamp for burette used to hold the burette during titration.

3. Erlenmeyer Flask a triangular shape flask used for storage. In this experiment, it is where

the titrate is placed.

4. Graduated cylinder used to measure the sample needed.

5. Iron stand used to support the clamp for burette.

6. Wash bottle contain deionized water. used for washing the apparatus before they are used

to minimize contamination.

7. Pipette with rubber Pipetol used to measure the amount of the reagents used in the

experiment.

APPENDIX B

Definition of Terms

Iron is the fourth most abundant element and second most abundant metal in the Earths

crust (after aluminium) constituting 5.12% as liquid and 4.7% as solid. It is one of

the non-toxic metals but cause color problems in water

Titration a method or process of determining the concentration of a dissolved substance in

terms of the smallest amount of reagent of known concentration required to bring

about a given effect in reaction with a known volume of the test solution.
 APPENDIX C

Computations

Amount of titrant used:

ml of titrant used
V = of drops used x
of drops1 ml

1 ml
V =1 drop x
15 drops

V =0.0667 ml

mg/ L of Iron:

f (KMnO4) = 5 eq/L

f (Fe2+) = 1 eq/L

f
Fe2 +
f (ml of sample)

( KMnO 4 )(C KMnO 4 )( MW Fe )(V KMnO )(1000)
4

2+ =
mg
Fe
L

eq mmol mg ml 1
(5 )(1 )(55.85 )(0.0667 ml)(1000 )( )
L mL mmol L 10
2+=
eq
(1 )(15 ml)
L
mg
Fe
L
 mg
2+=124.1732
L
mg
Fe
L